This invention relates generally to cosmetic surgery and more particularly to treatment of dermatological conditions.
Within cosmetic surgery, dermatological treatments remain one of the largest problems. The current modalities available for skin resurfacing include chemical peeling, dermabrasion, and laser resurfacing.
Chemical peeling involves the application of a variety of chemicals to the skin with the intent of producing a chemical burn of a predictable depth. Depending on the agent applied, the skin responds as a chemical burn. Necrotic tissue peels off and is scavenged by macrophages eventually leading to a healing wound. Depending on the depth of the wound new collagen fibers are produced resulting in a thicker more elastic (youthful) appearing skin. At the same time, surface irregularities such as pigmentation problems or textural problems are removed by the peeling and new smoother skin of a more even color replaces it.
Dermabrasion involves removing layers of skin through an abrasive process. Either a diamond fraise or a wire brush is attached to a motor driven rotating device which allows the operator to "sand" down the skin to a given depth. This is different than chemical peeling in that an abrasive wound begins to heal immediately after the injury. There is no delay in wound healing for tissue to peel off or for macrophage to clean up necrotic cells. Abraded wounds depending on the depth also result in improved texture and skin color as well as the deposition of new collagen fibers for thicker more youthful skin. Motorized dermabrasion has also been used for almost a century for smoothing facial scars.
Laser resurfacing is the newest skin resurfacing modality. Currently, ultra pulsed lasers are used to vaporize skin. This extremely precise process burns away tissue to a specific depth. Thermal damage to the remaining tissue is kept at a minimum because the laser pulses at an extremely rapid rate. Similar to dermabrasion, the skin is removed at the time of surgery but somenecrotic tissue is left behind which must be scavenged by macrophage before wound healing can ensue. Laser resurfacing also results in even color and texture to skin as well as the deposition of new collagen fibers.
The three current modalities for skin resurfacing are able to be used interchangeably. Each has its own specific advantages according to the pathology involved and the location of the skin being treated.
None of these modalities provides the ideal method of skin resurfacing. Dermabrasion comes most close to the ideal in that wound healing is able to begin immediately after the surgery. Thus the potential for infection from bacteria and viruses is reduced over chemical peeling and especially laser resurfacing. However, dermabrasion results in brisk bleeding during surgery. This has been suggested to present a danger to both the surgeon and assistants. In aerolized form, the bleeding can also contaminate other individuals in the vicinity of the ventilation system. Also patients are unhappy with the appearance of abrasive wounds and are naturally fearful of bleeding surgical sites.
It is clear from the foregoing that there is a need for an efficient and safe mechanism for the treatment of dermatological conditions.